UK car manufacturing hits 44-year low in November, industry data shows
Published by Global Banking & Finance Review®
Posted on December 20, 2024
1 min readLast updated: January 27, 2026

Published by Global Banking & Finance Review®
Posted on December 20, 2024
1 min readLast updated: January 27, 2026

UK car manufacturing hit a 44-year low in November, with a 30.1% drop in production due to the shift to zero-emission vehicles and rising costs.
(Reuters) - UK car manufacturing hit its lowest November output since 1980, as the industry grapples with the shift to zero-emission vehicles and rising costs, according to data released Friday by the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT).
Factory lines produced 64,216 units in November, a 30.1% drop from the previous year.
"While a decline was to be expected given the extensive changes underway at many plants, manufacturing is under pressure at home and abroad, with billions of pounds committed to new technologies, new models and new production tooling," said Mike Hawes, Chief Executive of SMMT.
Despite the global auto sector's shift towards electrification, production of battery electric, plug-in hybrid and hybrid electric cars fell 45.5% to 19,165 units in November, representing almost a third of total output.
SMMT also reiterated for the government to review the 'ZEV mandate' regulation, which could see carmakers face nearly 6 billion pounds($7.55 billion) in discounts and compliance costs.
($1 = 0.7944 pounds)
(Reporting by Yamini Kalia in Bengaluru; Editing by Tasim Zahid)
The article discusses the decline in UK car manufacturing to a 44-year low in November due to shifts towards zero-emission vehicles and rising costs.
The decline is attributed to the industry's transition to zero-emission vehicles and increased production costs.
The ZEV mandate is a regulation that could impose significant costs on carmakers, which SMMT suggests the government should review.
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